Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the far-left positions of some Democratic presidential candidates are jeopardizing the party’s chances of beating President Trump in 2020.
The longtime elected official from Nevada, in a Vice News interview, specifically blasted proposals to provide “Medicare for all” and to decriminalize illegal crossings from Mexico into the U.S.
Reid served as Senate majority leader from 2007-2015 and minority leader for two years before and after. He spent 30 years in the Senate after stints in the House, the Nevada Gaming Commission, Nevada lieutenant governor, and state assemblyman. Known as a wily legislative tactician, the blunt-spoken Reid said the “Medicare for all” proposal, a favorite of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, isn’t politically realistic.
“How are you going to get it passed?” Reid, 79, said rhetorically.
“I think that we should focus on improving Obamacare. We can do that — without bringing something that would be much harder to sell,” Reid said. “Improving Obamacare: People understand that. They would appreciate that. It locks in many important things.”
Reid also called for a more moderate approach to countering illegal immigration, implicitly criticizing the border decriminalization approach advocated by 2020 Democrat Julián Castro, a former San Antonio mayor and Housing and Urban Development secretary.
“There are so many more important things to do. Decriminalizing border crossings is not something that should be at the top of the list. It should be way, way down at the bottom of the list,” he said. “People want a fair immigration system. They don’t want an open-door invitation for everybody to come at once.”
Reid has been at odds with some 2020 Democrats on other issues, including ending the filibuster in the Senate, which effectively requires 60 votes to get anything passed. Earlier this month, Reid authored an op-ed in the New York Times arguing for an elimination of the filibuster. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic front-runner, has expressed deep reservations about ditching the filibuster, saying it preserves minority party rights in the chamber.
“The filibuster is just no longer useful. The Senate does nothing anymore. No one offers amendments; they can’t, [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell won’t let them. All they do is vote on judges, that’s all they do,” Reid wrote. “I think it would be better if the Senate have majority rule. Where did we ever come up with 60 being the magical number?
